


Love is a solution (A Revolution)

by trashystories



Series: if you could only know, I’d never let you go [2]
Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Family Bonding, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Mental Breakdown, Movie Night, Panic Attacks, Past Domestic Violence, Reggie needs a hug, Reggie talks about his feelings in an emotionally healthy way, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:40:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26660827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trashystories/pseuds/trashystories
Summary: He felt the full force of the weight he’d been carrying on his shoulders for days hit him, and he looked away, attempting to slide his hands free but she only gave them a tighter squeeze.Her hand softly slid up to his cheek, guiding his gaze back to hers.“We can figure this out Reg, I promise.”ORReggie and Julie talk things out, then spend a day with Ray and Carlos.
Relationships: Alex & Julie Molina & Luke Patterson & Reggie, Alex & Reggie (Julie and The Phantoms), Carlos & Reggie, Julie Molina & Reggie, Luke Patterson & Reggie (Julie and The Phantoms), Ray Molina & Reggie
Series: if you could only know, I’d never let you go [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1938217
Comments: 49
Kudos: 612





	Love is a solution (A Revolution)

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!! Welcome back, if you’ve joined us before. If not, then welcome!!! I hope you enjoy your time here! So, the show lacked some Reggie and Julie friendship bonding, and so here we are.
> 
> Minor TW - There is a very very vague discussion of past domestic violence but I don’t go into depth - that will be another fanfic, another day! 
> 
> Enjoy my loves!

Reggie was lonely, nowadays. 

Alex was often off with Willie, working through the excitement of their first few months as an official couple, and Luke usually hung around his parents, if he wasn’t with Julie, helping with their gardening and baking and any other activities that would restore the previously shattered relationship. 

They still made time for practice, and they’d always come back for the night, but Reggie couldn’t help but think that time was slipping away from him. 

Alex and Luke were his lifelines for both his living and non-living years. They were the only family he ever really knew; they were his brothers by choice. 

It wasn’t too bad before all the caleb drama, when he could quietly accompany Ray through his day to day activities. There was something about being in that mans presence that really calmed him. 

Before he died, he had a really tough time with family, and he supposed that hanging out with Ray, the embodiment of the father he always wanted, might have finally put that pain to rest for good. 

For a while, things were good. 

Then, the stamps were ripped off, and though he was thankful he still had time left with his found family, things only got more complicated. 

They found out that they were visible to everyone two days after Julie’s life saving hug, when Flynn walked in and made direct eye contact with each of the boys, when no music was being played. 

To affirm the suspicion, Julie brought Carlos in, and, soon enough, Reggie and Carlos were engaged in a heated lightsaber battle, whilst Alex and Flynn talked about clothes and 2020 fashion, and Julie and Luke quietly watched the scene like proud parents. 

Becoming visible to lifers should have been an _after_ life changing gift, seeing as they could introduce themselves on stage as less of a hologram band and more of a real band, but instead, the thought filled Reggie with a sense of dread. 

He stopped going to see Ray, too scared of what would happen if he was caught, and instead sat alone in the studio as he waited for his brothers to return. 

It was a similar Saturday morning today, where Luke was off with Emily and Mitch, and Alex was wandering the streets with Willie, leaving Reggie alone to wallow in his own self pity. 

He settled into the couch for the long haul, ignoring the sting of tears behind his eyes and instead tying his flannel around his waist tighter. 

The studio doors opened and he looked up confused, wondering who would be interrupting his self pity session this early in the morning. 

He was met with the bright eyes of Julie, smiling down at him as she offered her hand for him to take. 

He took it and she pulled him up and directly into her chest, holding him tightly against her. 

“Good morning,” she whispered, her hands softly carding through his hair. 

“Morning Jules.” He aimed for a casual tone but instead the statement came as more of a question. 

She chuckled lightly and grabbed his hand, pulling him out of the studio and toward the house. He froze at the front door, but she gave him a reassuring look and pulled him through. 

As they headed up the stairs, presumably to her room, he could hear Ray singing softly in the background as he cooked breakfast, and his heart ached just a little more. 

She continued dragging him through the hallways until they reached her room, and she deposited him onto the bed. He raised his eyebrows in a silent question, but she simply shook her head. 

They sat cross legged, facing each other, as she searched through a black sequinned bag. 

“Julie...?”

She made a little noise of triumph as the found what she was looking for, pulling out a black pen looking thing and smiling up at him, a hint of mischief in her eyes. 

“Aw Reg, did you really think I was gonna let you spend the day alone?”

She laughed softly at his bewildered expression, taking his hands in hers. 

“We are totally having a bonding day.”

She released his hands and ruffled his hair a bit before turning back to the pen, the evil glint returning to her eyes. 

“I think that this will definitely suit you...”

She uncapped the lid and his eyes widened a fraction as her hand, pen in tow, inched closer to his face. 

“Okay hold still and trust me.”

As the pen made contact with his eyes he fought the urge to close them, watching as her face scrunched up in the expression that graces her features when she’s concentrating. 

Finally, the uncomfortable feeling subsided, and she leant back on her hands to assess her work. 

Her lips twitched into a smile as she grabbed a nearby mirror stand and handed it to him. 

He didn’t exactly know how to feel about this. Black eyeliner? It was a bit girly... 

But, it looked awesome. After a few moments of intense staring at his reflection he realised he loved it, and met her eyes with an excited laugh. She smiled back at him, before taking his hands into hers again. 

She took a deep breath, never dropping eye contact, as she asking him, “why don’t you hang out with my dad anymore?”

He felt the full force of the weight he’d been carrying on his shoulders for days hit him, and he looked away, attempting to slide his hands free but she only gave them a tighter squeeze. 

He hand softly slid up to his cheek, guiding his gaze back to hers. 

“We can figure this out Reg, I promise.”

His eyes searched hers for a minute, until he sighed and nodded. 

She shifted her position, so she was pressed against his side, one hand still holding his as the other wrapped around his waist to pull him closer. 

He smiled softly, savouring the feeling of the girl who had become something akin to a little sister beside him. 

“I don’t know what he’s say if he could see me.”

Surely Julie would understand. He knew she hadn’t told her dad about the whole _ghost_ thing, so he wasn’t sure why she seemed almost sad for him. If she didn’t want Ray to know about the ghosts living in his house, then he didn’t have to. 

She smiled sadly at him, holding him just a little tighter, a silent urge to continue. 

He took a deep breath. The last time he told this story was over 25 years ago. Still, the pain felt too real. Too raw. Too fresh. 

“I never really had a dad, I guess. I mean, I lived with both my parents, but they weren’t, I don’t know, they didn’t really know how to parent right.”

He felt his face heat up, his words stumbling over each other and his breaths quickening. Another squeeze from his side reminded him that he was not alone. 

“My mother was an alcoholic. She always had a bottle of wine in her hand, and she’d always scream at either me or dad, over something or other...

“My dad, well, I guess he needed a way to let frustration out too. While my mum (mom???) used to yell and scream and shout, I guess he had a different way of dealing with his stress. 

“He never drank or anything, and I think that makes it worse, to know he was completely sober for everything he did to me. I- He-He hurt me Julie. Like, all the time. I got so used to it, I just thought that’s how dads were.

“I mean, I never got to see Alex or Luke’s dad really, since they weren’t close with them either. When I first started hanging around Ray, I- I thought it was gonna be the same. Like he’d hurt you because that’s what dads were supposed to do.

“He made me realise that what happened to me wasn’t right. I mean, he was the embodiment of everything I wanted in a father, and everything I never got to have. 

“Now he could see me... I don’t want to be rejected again”

He didn’t realise he was crying until julie slowly pulled him against her, her own tears mixing with his. 

They held each other while they cried. And it was comforting, to know that someone felt just as outraged as he did about it. 

After what seemed like hours, but was probably only five minutes, they pulled away from each other and Julie searched his red-rimmed eyes with her own teary ones. 

“Stay here,” she whispered, and he couldn’t exactly say no, so he curled up in her covers as she left, leaving the door half closed with a smile and a promise to be back soon. 

Reggie felt loved. He really did. Probably the most he’s ever felt loved before. Sure, when he told Luke and Alex they were

outraged, but it was a quiet sort of outrage laced with pity and concern. 

Julie though, she just held love for him. Love and her own outrage, expressed at the grief he felt too. 

The door was pushed open quietly and she grabbed his hand, pulling him up again. 

She wiped his tears and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek before lacing her hand with his and walking him down the stairs, toward the kitchen. The closer they got to the room, the more nervous he got. 

What was going on?

Right before they rounded the corner, Julie gave him a reassuring glance, and then they were standing in front of the table, Carlos seated and waving, and Ray serving 4 plates of pancakes. 

He paused when he saw Reggie, and the colour drained out of Reggie’s face knowing that Ray was making direct eye contact with him. 

But, instead of harsh words or a raised hand, he smiled the brightest smile he had, and walked over to him, placing one hand on his shoulder. 

“So you’re the one who’s been helping me find my keys?” 

Reggie laughed, teary and breathless, and Ray pulled him in for a hug, ruffling his hair just like he does to Carlos and Julie. Reggie paused for a moment before clinging back with just as much intensity, and they stayed like that for a moment, until pulling apart. 

“Ok Reg, so how about you sit next to Jules across from me and Carlos?”

He nodded, still speechless, as he took a seat in front of a plate of steaming hot pancakes, and felt Julie place a comforting hand on his leg.

He looked over to her and gave her the most thankful look he could muster. 

This girl really had just given him the world. 

There was a moment of silence as they said grace, Ray saying something about being thankful Reggie was with them that made tears spring to his eyes again, before they dug in. 

Quickly, the table was full of life, Ray asking Reggie a bunch of questions about anything and everything, Reggie answering enthusiastically, with the occasional addition from Carlos and Julie. 

After breakfast was finished, the group took their plates to the sink, where Ray announced that they just _had_ to spend a day out as a family (which made Reggie tear up again, but he pushed them down because he was _not_ crying again).

That is how he found himself in the front seat in the car, controlling the sound system whilst Ray drove them all to the beach, everyone singing loudly and completely out of tune to some songs that thankfully Reggie already knew. 

The beach was quiet and peaceful, a stark contrast to what Reggie’s morning had a originally started out as. 

Usually, he found it hard to imagine himself in a real family, but here, Ray, Julie and Carlos beside him, he thought that maybe he had a chance. 

They found a spare volleyball net, and for hours they played, until everyone had a turn being on each other’s team. He blamed his lack of coordination on a 25 year long break in any actual physical movement, rather than just poor volleyball skills. 

They had a barbecue lunch, where Reggie learned that Ray indeed had a killer ribs recipe, and by late afternoon they were packing up and heading back home, Carlos asleep in his lap in the car ride home, and Julie resting her head on his shoulder. 

Man, it felt good to be loved. 

Once they headed inside, Ray decided as a treat they’d all get pizza for dinner, and have a star wars marathon, seeing as Reggie had missed the majority of it. 

So, they settled into the couch, Carlos on one end, Ray on the other, Reggie in the middle of Ray and Julie. 

The pizza was finished pretty early through the first film, and after the third, Carlos was sound asleep, his hand leaning back against the couch armrest. 

Julie herself was completely cuddled into him now, somehow having unravelled his flannel from his waist earlier and draped it across herself, and although she was still awake, she seemed like she wasn’t that aware of anything but the movie. 

Ray shifted slightly, his arm moving to the space behind Reggie’s head. 

“I never really got the chance to thank you, Reggie, for everything you and the boys did for her. You really brought her back to us”

Reggie smiled softly, his hand slowly making its way through Julie’s hair. 

“She’s like my sister, and I couldn’t see a time when I’d never love her. She’s done so much for me too, more than you’d ever know.”

He paused for a bit, knowing Ray’s attention was completely on him, even though his eyes were on the screen. 

“Thank you, too. I mean, even though you didn’t know it, I spent a lot of time around you when I first showed up here. I guess I just didn’t have anywhere else to go”

Ray smiled at him, pulling him gently into a one armed hug. 

“You know, you’re always welcome to hang out with me. Like I said, you helped Julie more than I ever could, so I think I owe it to you”

Reggie smiled. 

“Oh, and you deserve the world, Reg, seriously... I don’t know what your parents were like, but I would be honoured to be able to call you my adopted son”

Reggie was shocked, tears involuntarily springing to his eyes, being caught and wiped wordlessly by Julie, who gave him a half-lidded smile. 

“I would really like that, sir”

“Call me Ray, please. Or dad, if you prefer”

The room shifted back to silence as Reggie felt his heart overload with warmth, and stared at the TV as he carded his hands through Julie’s hair in a way to keep himself from crying.

By the fifth movie, he felt tired himself, and softly felt himself float away to sleep. 

An hour later, Luke and Alex jumped into the house, searching for Reggie. 

When they found him, the found him curled into Ray’s chest, holding onto Julie loosely, who had Carlos clinging to her leg. 

They shared a look to each other, and realised that Ray was still awake. He gave them a slight wave from his position, then went back to slightly petting Reggie’s hair. 

The boys smiled back, bewildered, but waved just the same. 

Reggie deserved to be happy. He deserved to have a father in his life. 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all enjoyed!! I love you all and are very proud of every one of your small and big accomplishments! I hope to see you all again soon! x


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